Ethics and Animals.

Catalog description

This class explores our ethical relationships with non-human animals. Students will explore various ethical theories that are used to guide moral decision making and reasoning. These theories will then be applied to the moral issues surrounding our treatment of animals. Key topics will include: The moral standing of animals, our duties and responsibilities to domesticated animals, ethical food production, research and experimentation, human interaction with wild animals, historical perspectives on animal ethics, cultural attitudes towards animals, and animal welfare versus animal rights. The focus of the class will be on students learning how to formulate ethical positions on these topics, respond to objections, and inquire into the philosophical underpinnings of their views. Prerequisite: ENG 101 (or corequisite).